Calling a Bluff

Since I am a poker enthusiast, I will supply another poker analogy.

I read a few more chapters on Cesar's Way. In the book, Cesar argues that a dog always knows if you're bluffing or not. If you threaten or give a command, if you won't actually make the dog obey, he'll sense it and just disobey. I don't agree. Many times I have told Cody to let go of some pig ear or bone or to stop growling. I have always rolled him if he doesn't stop. However, I thought about it a little bit longer and this is Phoebe's interpretation of Cesar's idea:

I think the key is the risk of calling your bluff. If you are a tight poker player (you are consistently dominant over your dog), it's rare when your dog will call when you make a big raise. However, if you are a risky player (and your dominance over the dog is unpredictable at best), then the dog will likely call or re-raise - after all, the odds of winning are much higher and the "pot" (or pig ear) is worth the risk.

I'm sure the analogy doesn't go very far, but I think the psychology in playing games with risk and potential winnings is the same in all scenarios for humans, dogs, and other animals. It's just something to think about. Or maybe all it's telling me is that I have an itch to play poker.